LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

The lord of Boxted
Hall held view of frankpledge in 1303, when the
bailiff of the honor of Boulogne had 2s. from its
profits. (fn. 1) In 1641 the view elected one constable,
one aletaster, and two supervisors and drivers of
the common, and there were also surveyors of
highways. Court business in the mid 17th century was generally restricted to land transfers,
orders to maintain ditches and highways, and
complaints of illegal encroachments on the
heath. (fn. 2) By 1648 there was a total absence of leet
business and many defaulters. (fn. 3)

Courts baron were held irregularly by the
second half of the 19th century, and ceased after
1909. (fn. 4) The last admission to a copyhold was
entered in the court books in 1912. (fn. 5) The
courts were originally held at Boxted Hall, but
in 1881 legal advice was taken as to where to
hold the court because the house had become
separated from the manor and none of the
remaining customary holdings possessed a suitable building. (fn. 6)

The courts leet at Rivers Hall in 1576 were
probably medieval in origin. (fn. 7) They had ceased
by 1792 when courts baron were held. (fn. 8) The last
recorded court baron met in 1913, but enfranchisements continued into the 1930s and manorial rights finally lapsed in 1935. (fn. 9) After the
Hall became separated from the manor the
courts were held at Cheshunts after 1859, and
at the Cross inn from 1885. (fn. 10)

There were four overseers and two constables
in 1756. The four surveyors recorded in 1759
had risen to 10 by 1768. (fn. 11) The parish cage stood
on a small green at Boxted Cross, from which
Cage Lane takes its name. (fn. 12)

A poor rate was collected at Boxted in the later
16th century. (fn. 13) In 1652 John Maidstone complained that he and others were unfairly rated. (fn. 14)
In 1776 a poor rate raised £134 os. 6d.
Expenditure had increased to £466 8s. 2d. by
1801 and gradually increased to a peak of £1,523
6s. in 1821. Thereafter it fell, averaging c. £891
between 1822 and 1836. Boxted had a comparatively low level of poor relief per head of population throughout the later 18th and earlier 19th
centuries. Outdoor relief was given to 27 people
in 1813. In the same year 18 people received
relief in the parish workhouse regularly and 5
occasionally. (fn. 15) The workhouse, on the northeast side of Workhouse Hill, was probably
demolished before 1838 when its site was Old
Workhouse Yard. (fn. 16)